Nikon Mirrorless cameras (1 Viewer)

Suffolk naturalist · Jan 11, 2012

Some samples with the V1 Ft1 and 70-200mm 2.8 v1

Hi All

Attached a few new images. I just bought an FT-1 for my V1. Very impressed so far, based on one quick walk about in the local park - on a very dreary winter's day I might add. The pictures are nothing special, but convinced me that this camera could really work for me.

Detail capture with the 70-200 was excellent, with wonderfully crisp and contrasty images. The rig seems like an excellent combination, albeit with some limitations, but also with very considerable advantages. I managed to hand hold and get sharp images down to 1/25sec at an eq focal length of 540mm - quite amazing. AF hunted a bit with dark subjects under trees like the moorhen, but what impressed me was how easy manual focus was - the blackbird was deep in a holly bush but I had no trouble obtaining sharp images manually - as the fine detail on his throat confirms.

I think this camera really shines when used with the best glass, and feel inspired by the other great images I'm seeing. Very keen to try this camera with the 300mm f2.8.

yossi · Jan 13, 2012

I fully agree with the findings above.
IMHO, the FT-1 made the V1 and a standard Nikon lens the best digiscoping setup for my purposes.
I've tested in the past the V1 with my scopes (Leica, Swaro) and made a 40.5 mm adapter to fit the EP. Quality was great, but a tripod is needed.
The use of the FT-1 and my 70-200+TC-14, 105mm AFS VR (for macro) and even with the 28-300 Nikon AFS VR resulted in great images.
Besides the ability to shoot hand held, the big advantage is the DOF - as it is like the original lens before the crop factor from similar distances. This allows headroom for focus errors due to bird movements or AF inaccuracies.
I've also tried the combo with a 180mm /2.8 lens that I own. It meters correctly and MF can easily be done.
I love this little camera!

Pasquier · Jan 13, 2012

Malcolm, thanks for posting those useful images - I really like the squirrel!
I've some some photos taken with the 400mm f2.8 and this combo - and it is very impressive! (see Brad Hill's blog)
It really propels Nikon users into digiscoping territory!

Neil · Jan 14, 2012

yossi said:
I fully agree with the findings above.
IMHO, the FT-1 made the V1 and a standard Nikon lens the best digiscoping setup for my purposes.
I've tested in the past the V1 with my scopes (Leica, Swaro) and made a 40.5 mm adapter to fit the EP. Quality was great, but a tripod is needed.
The use of the FT-1 and my 70-200+TC-14, 105mm AFS VR (for macro) and even with the 28-300 Nikon AFS VR resulted in great images.
Besides the ability to shoot hand held, the big advantage is the DOF - as it is like the original lens before the crop factor from similar distances. This allows headroom for focus errors due to bird movements or AF inaccuracies.
I've also tried the combo with a 180mm /2.8 lens that I own. It meters correctly and MF can easily be done.
I love this little camera!

Yossi,
I have't tried the V1 for macro yet but I like the possibilities with the 105/2.8 AFS . I don't have this lens at the moment but it's going on my birthday list. I do have the AF version so I might try that anyway with MF.
Neil

Neil · Jan 14, 2012

I'm not seeing the V1 replacing my digiscoping gear. It's effective range with a 300/4 AFS plus 1.4x tele is 1100 mm. With the 70-200/2.8 AFS is 265 -756 mm (with 1.4x ). This is the combo I expect to have with me all the time as you won't miss much if you have around 800 mm, especially with VR.
When I was digiscoping with the Nikon 8400 most of my best shots were in the range of 1200 - 1600 mm , with about 20% over 2000 mm. This is where I need to be on the mudflats here in Hong Kong when I want to zero in on Curlew Sands,Sharpies and Red-necked Stints at 20 - 100 meters. I will keep the 300 or 70-200 mm beside me for the group shots, egrets/herons,eagles, and flight shots. My problem will be that I will need to have two V1 bodies so I don't need to keep switching.
I wonder when Nikon will come out with the V2?
Neil

jascha777 · Jan 15, 2012

Hi Neil,
I've been following this thread with great interest,
and have been very impressed with your terrific shots
obtained with the 3002.8. I have the 300AFS f4 and 1.4
tele and was wondering what your thoughts and results
were with this lens,with and without teleconverter
-and if you had any examples?
many thanks,
Mark.

stoop · Jan 15, 2012

Nikon should be happy with everyone posting on this thread. I have been following and picked up my V1 and FT1 yesterday. White-out today. Can't see more than 10 metres ahead because of snow. Regardless of gear birders need patience.

price has dropped significantly here (Japan) the last few weeks so I'm happy with my deal..

Seems a solid little camera.

Thanks for everyone's posts!

RJM · Jan 15, 2012

Neil said:
I'm not seeing the V1 replacing my digiscoping gear. It's effective range with a 300/4 AFS plus 1.4x tele is 1100 mm. With the 70-200/2.8 AFS is 265 -756 mm (with 1.4x ). This is the combo I expect to have with me all the time as you won't miss much if you have around 800 mm, especially with VR.
When I was digiscoping with the Nikon 8400 most of my best shots were in the range of 1200 - 1600 mm , with about 20% over 2000 mm.

Neil, any chance to try the V1 with your Kowa Photoscope/PZ kit yet? The V1 body has dropped below JPY50,000 here now is calling to me. 2700mm effective @ F11 would be cool.:king:

Neil · Jan 15, 2012

jascha777 said:
Hi Neil,
I've been following this thread with great interest,
and have been very impressed with your terrific shots
obtained with the 3002.8. I have the 300AFS f4 and 1.4
tele and was wondering what your thoughts and results
were with this lens,with and without teleconverter
-and if you had any examples?
many thanks,
Mark.

Mark,
I haven't used it on the 300/4 AFS as I've lent the lens to a friend. The quality of this lens is excellent, even with the 1.4x so I would expect good results with the V1. You probably would have to use it on a tripod with the 1.4x on but it would be great for HD video which is what I would use it for.
Neil

Neil · Jan 15, 2012

I've put a short video up here http://www.flickr.com/photos/7892550@N03/6681448107/in/photostream taken with the V1 and the Nikon 300/2.8 AFS lens.
Neil

Neil · Jan 15, 2012

For shooting out on the mudflats I'm liking the idea of the 300/4 or 300/2.8 lens with various teleconverters.
V1 + 300mm = 810 mm ( possible to hand hold for flight/action shots )
V1 + 300mm + 1.4x = 1134 mm ( tripod needed unless have VR)
V1 + 300mm + 1.7x = 1377 mm ( tripod needed )
V1 + 300mm + 2x = 1620 mm ( tripod needed) - only AF with 300/2.8 lens

with the 500/4 AFS VR lens (tripod needed)
V1 + 500mm = 1350 mm
V1 + 500mm + 1.4x = 1890 mm
V1 + 500mm + 1.7x = 2295 mm
V1 + 500mm + 2.0x = 2700 mm (no AF)

As you can see from this comparison the 500 mm option would be too much magnification for most situations and would be difficult to hand hold.
Neil

Neil · Jan 15, 2012

Just tested the V1 on the Kowa lens/scope with the 850/9.6 lens module. Obviously no AF but Auto Exposure works ok.
Neil

kurakura · Jan 15, 2012

hmm, I have not been following the development in new3 cameras, the V1 seems very interesting. I can imagine a 400mm F2.8 with a 0.6X TC, would make something like a 240mm 1.8 and with cropfactor we would end around 600mm F1.8 that is crazy

jascha777 · Jan 15, 2012

Many thanks Neil.
Mark

Suffolk naturalist · Jan 15, 2012

Lens choices with V1

I can only agree with Neil. I think a 70-200 2.8 plus a 300 2.8, so that both have VR, makes an excellent combination with the V1, particularly with the 1.4 converter. If the OS and AF on Sigma's 120-300 2.8 works with the V1, that might be ideal too, providing the quality was good enough - has anyone tried it?

I had a brief opportunity to try my V1 on a friend's 300 2.8 yesterday. I think I could hand hold it for short periods but it was best if I braced against something otherwise, with the high magnification, I had trouble keeping the subject well framed. Results were sharp though (no birds sadly) with VR at 1/400sec, even with the converter attached.

Today I made another trip to my local park with my 70-200, this time adding the 1.4 converter. I used a monopod and found this extremely helpful. The dull, overcast conditions were a severe problem but I still got a few nice practice shots and the lens and converter are clearly capable of great results. I find this lens and camera combination a very comfortable and convenient match for a walkabout rig, even hand held, but would want at least a monopod if using the 300mm I think. A couple of images attached. Both only slightly cropped. the blackbird was taken at 1/160 while the moorhen was a remarkable 1/50, both at iso800.

kurakura · Jan 15, 2012

What..... 1/50 and 1/160 I am impressed that you can hold it still......

H K · Jan 15, 2012

Here is a link to a Nikon user site with a few user images.
He listed it as no post processing / straight out of the camera .

http://www.nikonians.org/forums/dcboard.php?

Suffolk naturalist · Jan 15, 2012

kurakura said:
What..... 1/50 and 1/160 I am impressed that you can hold it still......

Thanks. I'd say that subject movement is as much or perhaps more of a limiting factor than camera shake at these medium to low speeds. And I can't really take the credit - it's a tribute to the remarkable efficiency of the VR system and the unusual qualities of this particular V1/lens combination that is really making the difference here - it's a quite different experience to a traditional SLR/long lens rig.

The smaller, lighter lens and the camera's electronic shutter and lack of mirror seem to dramatically reduce vibration. But I should add that I had a 99% failure rate with smaller, more mobile birds. In that respect it's far from ideal. The lack or continuous focus tracking and the too large, centre-only focusing spot being the key problems. I also find one or two handling issues annoying - I tend to knock the aperture switch with my head (I use my left eye to view), the main selector dial too - just like everyone else. I also wish I could just press the ok button to zoom in when reviewing pictures.

That said, I can live with most of its other features and the image quality for its size is more than acceptable. Although it clearly has limitations in low light it's certainly capable of publishable results - performance at iso 800 (maybe even iso400?) is clearly better than my old D2xs/D200. If Nikon could sort out the AF it would be a truly stunning camera for nature photography. Battery life is amazing too - 500 images this morning with the FT-1, 70-200 used exactly 50%.

redshift · Jan 15, 2012

I bought the V1 not primarily for birding but was intrigued by the 2.7 crop factor and so also got myself the FT1 mount adaptor and a f4.5-5.6 55-300mm VR lens (as it was fairly cheap).

I love the camera for its build quality, features and image quality.

It is certainly far easier to carry around than my old Canon 50D / 400mm f5.6 L combination.

A small sample set of a few shots on Flickr is here. Getting flight shots is not easy but can be done.

The lens is a fairly soft at full zoom, so the images posted on Flickr are JPGs of sharpened-up RAW files using Capture One Pro, reduced to 2048 pixels across. Mostly full frame, a couple are slightly cropped. Smaller scale low quality JPGs below.

RMWD · Jan 17, 2012

Neil, thanks for posting. Not tested the V1 with a 300mm F2.8 and TC yet but the quality from the naked 300mm is astonishing, and not fat off my D7000 and 500mm F4.
Here is a picture I took yesterday. 100% crop.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon_birder/6709487461/in/set-72157628774050455
Very happy and it's handhold able.

P.S How do I attach an image directly into my reply as opposed to a link?

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