83x anyone? The new Nikon P900 (1 Viewer)

[crazyfingers]

I just submitted to return the defective P900 to Amazon for a replacement. Not to be commercial but this is what's so good about buying stuff like this from Amazon. They are already preparing to ship a replacement and will ship as soon as it's available if they have no stock now. They are not waiting for the returned unit to ship the new unit.

In terms of returning it, they emailed me a shipping label. All I have to do re-box the camera, stick the label on and take it to the UPS store down at the corner. No cost to me. I have until May 26 to drop it off. So I have a couple of weeks still to play with the menus and get to understand the camera better even though the photos will still not be good. I would like to play with features like Auto-zoom extend and zoom memory for the fast set-up while I am waiting for the replacement.

And of course I will practice the best way to hold it steady so the image doesn't slide off the field as I click the shutter as per the comments above.

EDIT: Amazon just emailed me to let me know that they can't send a replacement right away because they are out of stock (which I knew) They offered me a refund instead. I said I would wait for stocks to come in. But that is good customer service.

 

[Chris B.]

Well, the extra magnification and the additional pixel density, could be all it takes to make the P900 a much more sensitive camera, which would account for the hit-and-miss nature on occasions.

There's no question that the P900 is a remarkable camera, but remember that they are sticking a lot of technology into this little plastic box... and since this is the very first of its kind in terms of zoom magnification, I do feel that there will be some growing pains.

It does a darn fine job for what it is, but it does have some limitations which we are all discovering with our units. Personally, I'm finding that trying to handhold at 2000mm equivalent without the benefit of some support is a waste of time; also the 5-stop VR for this camera tends to cause a lot of drift in the frame. And I'm also finding that atmospherics over water and under bright sunshine at long distances definitely affect IQ...

Chris

 

[crazyfingers]

And I'm also finding that atmospherics over water and under bright sunshine at long distances definitely affect IQ...

Chris

No doubt about that! I posted these examples a while ago in the SX50 topic but it applies still.

Same view taken on different days. Both photos from the same spot and of the sign 323 meters away. Atmospheric differences from one day to the next can make a huge difference. I expect over water it can be even worse.

 

[Paul Higson]

Getting there !!

It's a bit like getting into a brand new hire car - you know where/what all the basics are, steering wheel, accelerator, wipers, wheels etc etc, and what they do - and then you start experimenting with all the buttons/levers . . . . .

Hope there is no ejector seat !!!! :t:

 

[mzettie]

Getting there !!

It's a bit like getting into a brand new hire car - you know where/what all the basics are, steering wheel, accelerator, wipers, wheels etc etc, and what they do - and then you start experimenting with all the buttons/levers . . . . .

Hope there is no ejector seat !!!! :t:

Really nice shot Paul, glad the "goods" are gaining on the "not-so-greats." It's not the easiest camera to navigate, but the rewards can make hanging in there well worth it, as this image demonstrates.

 

[mzettie]

There's no question that the P900 is a remarkable camera, but remember that they are sticking a lot of technology into this little plastic box... and since this is the very first of its kind in terms of zoom magnification, I do feel that there will be some growing pains.

It does a darn fine job for what it is, but it does have some limitations which we are all discovering with our units. Personally, I'm finding that trying to handhold at 2000mm equivalent without the benefit of some support is a waste of time; also the 5-stop VR for this camera tends to cause a lot of drift in the frame. And I'm also finding that atmospherics over water and under bright sunshine at long distances definitely affect IQ...

Chris

Atmospheric effect over water can be really profound with the P900, actually seems to affect the camera's ability to autofocus. Neil seems to do ok though, hopefully he'll weigh in on this.
Have you tried MF under these conditions? I haven't, but intend to...

A while back you suggested a UV filter to protect the lens, but someone on DPR mentioned that using one had a detrimental effect on AF at long focal lengths. Any chance that's affecting your results?

Also, regarding your Hoodman Loupe...is the resolution good enough to manual focus with it?

 

[Chris B.]

Frankly, I haven't tried manual focus with it yet. But it's been a pleasure viewing the (much larger) image via the LCD than the EVF, which I've never been particularly fond of. I am really looking forward to the day when the EVF technology gets as good as an optical VF... then I'll be happier!

I'll have to experiment more with the filter to see it it affects the AF, although it's hard to believe that Nikon didn't take that into account when developing the lens technology.... they themselves recommend using one for protection purposes.

 

[pppppvvvv]

EDIT: Amazon just emailed me to let me know that they can't send a replacement right away because they are out of stock (which I knew) They offered me a refund instead. I said I would wait for stocks to come in. But that is good customer service.

Love amazon, just saved a fortune on a scope from them, but will they ever stop asking me for an "Amazon Prime 30 day trial".

Elsewhere, I've been playing with the long range, record shot type photos with the P900. Once you get into digital zoom territory/ 50 metres+, for me the video is significantly better than the stills.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSk5EZTT3fk

Need to change the options to HD for better quality,

Peter

 

[crazyfingers]

Frankly, I haven't tried manual focus with it yet. But it's been a pleasure viewing the (much larger) image via the LCD than the EVF, which I've never been particularly fond of. I am really looking forward to the day when the EVF technology gets as good as an optical VF... then I'll be happier!

I tried for a bit to get manual focus to work. I thought I was following the instructions in the user manual correctly to assign manual focus to the lever on the left of the lens but for some reason I couldn't get it to kick in.

I'm sure I must have done something wrong and might get back to it before I pack this one up to send back to Amazon.

 

[crazyfingers]

I actually did just try manual focus. It worked, sort of, this time. Though perhaps I still don't really know how to use it. When I was focusing it only showed a super magnified area at the center of what I was photographing. Perhaps the center 1/4 of the whole frame but taking up the whole view. That's what I would fine tune the focus on and then when I took the photo it was back to the intended field of view.

I also took several pictures in total including some in Auto as well as P. I was hoping that the photo data in Picasa would tell me after the fact which ones were taken in which mode but it appears not. In any case they all look about the same.

And again none of them were as good as the couple photos I also took with the SX50. Not that I expected better given that I know that this copy of the P900 has a focusing fault.

But I would say that I don't think that I would ever really want to use manual focus on a bird. With the possible exception of a great blue heron, I'd expect few to stick around long enough. And imagine at 2000mm, the camera only showing perhaps the middle 1/4 of the actual field of view, trying to keep that on the bird even with a tripod.

I don't see it as a likely thing I'd do it except if a very rare and obligingly stationary bird was behind twigs that that AF just could not get around. Otherwise I doubt I could do better than a properly functioning AF.

 

[crazyfingers]

Right now I am trying to figure out how to make settings such that I have as standard a deeper depth of field. In addition to not being very well focused, I think I can tell that I will want the camera to give more preference to depth of field, similar to what the SX50 was doing in the side-by-side samples that I posted a couple days ago. I hope it can be done without making adjustments for each shot.

 

[crazyfingers]

Someone here pointed out that you can leave scene mode set to "birdwatching" (which includes digital zoom automatically) and go to it pretty quickly, so that's another option.

It's possible I've got the settings all messed up but it looks to me that Digital zoom (On-OFF) in the menu section with the picture of the wrench, turn digital zoom on or off across all modes, including Bird Watching mode.

And the zoom memory is really strange. It's zoom steps and if on, it will only allow the zoom steps that are per-selected in the menu. If you check off 1800 and 2000mm, it's impossible to go to 1900mm.

 

[crazyfingers]

Right now I have the "U" mode set to use D-lighting and with digital zoom on....have it off otherwise, cause the zoom doesn't stop automatically at 2000mm.

I have not found a way to get digital zoom on for U but not for the other modes (P) (Bird) which I have been practicing on most.

 

[crazyfingers]

Well, it appears that the telescope eye guard which arrived today may work for me... Although I'd prefer that Nikon made something specifically for this purpose, since that's unlikely to happen, this should do pretty well to both protect my glasses as well as block extraneous light.

Chris

Though my P900 is defective and going for an exchange, I have time to play with the defective unit a bit and I've come to agree that I need that Shield. Could you post a link to where you got it? Sometimes I can shield with my thumb but only on the left, and more and more I am holding the weight of the camera with my left 4 fingers and keeping the thumb on the snap back zoom button on that side.

 

[mzettie]

I have not found a way to get digital zoom on for U but not for the other modes (P) (Bird) which I have been practicing on most.

You just explained something for me. I thought my camera kept "losing" the digital zoom setting, but it's not SAVING it! Well, at least I know I'm not losing my mind.....

I haven't have need to use digital zoom, so really didn't worry too much about the problem, but that's definitely a drag. I guess one could leave the menu setting on digital zoom, to make the change as quickly as possible.

 

[crazyfingers]

You just explained something for me. I thought my camera kept "losing" the digital zoom setting, but it's not SAVING it! Well, at least I know I'm not losing my mind.....

I haven't have need to use digital zoom, so really didn't worry too much about the problem, but that's definitely a drag. I guess one could leave the menu setting on digital zoom, to make the change as quickly as possible.

As you mentioned earlier, the Fn Button could have more usefull functions available. Digital zoom on/off is the first.

I would leave digital zoom on but for the fact that it doesn't stop zooming at the point between 2000mm and 2000mm+ and once yqoure in digital zoom the focus rectangle is gone and snap back zoom onlqy snaps back to 2000mm, useless if you're only using a little digital zoom.

The P900 lacks a lot of the ease of use features that the SX50 has. I only hope that the IQ makes up for it.

 

[mzettie]

I actually did just try manual focus. It worked, sort of, this time. Though perhaps I still don't really know how to use it. When I was focusing it only showed a super magnified area at the center of what I was photographing. Perhaps the center 1/4 of the whole frame but taking up the whole view. That's what I would fine tune the focus on and then when I took the photo it was back to the intended field of view.

I also took several pictures in total including some in Auto as well as P. I was hoping that the photo data in Picasa would tell me after the fact which ones were taken in which mode but it appears not. In any case they all look about the same.

And again none of them were as good as the couple photos I also took with the SX50. Not that I expected better given that I know that this copy of the P900 has a focusing fault.

But I would say that I don't think that I would ever really want to use manual focus on a bird. With the possible exception of a great blue heron, I'd expect few to stick around long enough. And imagine at 2000mm, the camera only showing perhaps the middle 1/4 of the actual field of view, trying to keep that on the bird even with a tripod.

I don't see it as a likely thing I'd do it except if a very rare and obligingly stationary bird was behind twigs that that AF just could not get around. Otherwise I doubt I could do better than a properly functioning AF.

Only have intermittent internet service since yesterday's storms, sorry for the spotty responses.
I too wish Picasa gave more complete EXIF info. Keep meaning to download "FastStone," (free) which many people swear by. Flickr gives really detailed EXIF data, but of course that means uploading to see it.

 

[Chris B.]

Though my P900 is defective and going for an exchange, I have time to play with the defective unit a bit and I've come to agree that I need that Shield. Could you post a link to where you got it? Sometimes I can shield with my thumb but only on the left, and more and more I am holding the weight of the camera with my left 4 fingers and keeping the thumb on the snap back zoom button on that side.

I posted the info back on page 9 of this thread but here it is again:

FYI, the item that I bought is called a rubber eyeguard (item # 3060100) and it came from Edmund Scientifics...(www.scientificsonline.com). It was $7.00 and almost the same in shipping :-( but it turned out okay so it was worth it...

An addendum to this would be to buy a couple of them because they tend to pop off and disappear because they are not specifically designed for the camera... I originally bought 2 which is fortunate because I already lost one in the field...

Chris

 

[Chris B.]

I have decided that although it's not likely to happen anytime soon, getting a firmware update to enable this camera to get raw functionality would be really helpful. I'd like to think that Nikon, like Canon, monitors the various forums to learn user's likes and dislikes about their cameras. The P900 is a marvelous piece of technology but it could be so much better with some simple updates...

Chris

 

[crazyfingers]

I posted the info back on page 9 of this thread but here it is again:

FYI, the item that I bought is called a rubber eyeguard (item # 3060100) and it came from Edmund Scientifics...(www.scientificsonline.com). It was $7.00 and almost the same in shipping :-( but it turned out okay so it was worth it...

An addendum to this would be to buy a couple of them because they tend to pop off and disappear because they are not specifically designed for the camera... I originally bought 2 which is fortunate because I already lost one in the field...

Chris

Thanks very much. I guess I missed that link!