Nikon D80 (1 Viewer)

[The sniper]

Hi folks,just after a bit of advice
I have had a Nikon D80 for about 9 months,I was using a 300mm lense but upgraded to a Sigma 150-500mm a few months ago
I was just wondering what settings others with similar equipment use as I tend to fiddle about with it and don't seem to always ge the results I believe I should.
I usually have it on Aperture but some of the other settings on the D80 which friends tell me I should use,seem to contradict what others say
I admit I am not the greatest photographer on the planet and probably should go on a course but because of work commitments I simply haven't got round to it yet.
Also,if anyone could advise me the best settings to get decent results taking snaps of owls around dusk or just before this would be greatly appreciated as this is what I enjoy doing the most but it's also the most frustrating just as the light goes,for this do I maybe need to move up another model or two in my camera choice.


Thanks
Rob

 

[Bob Philpott]

Rob, I have used the D80 for several years now and it is an old camera but still does the job very well. Being old it does mean that more modern cameras will have an edge in certain areas. I always use mine in Aperture Priority which works for me but I have a friend who has the same camera and always shoots in Program mode. With Aperture priority it as easy to monitor the speed as in Shutter Priority. If you are looking to take more flight shots than static ones then Shutter priority might be the answer. That didn't help at all, did it. Basically there is nothing wrong with Aperture priority and in my opinion is the mode that will work 99% of the time. Don't touch the pre-programmed modes, you won't have as great a control over the camera.

I did go on a course when I got my camera and the instructor spent most of his effort discouraging the use of 75% of the buttons and modes and I think he was right, keep it simple.

 

[seaspirit]

I was just wondering what settings others with similar equipment use as I tend to fiddle about with it and don't seem to always ge the results I believe I should.
............
I usually have it on Aperture but some of the other settings on the D80 which friends tell me I should use,seem to contradict what others say
............
Also,if anyone could advise me the best settings to get decent results taking snaps of owls around dusk or just before this would be greatly appreciated as this is what I enjoy doing the most but it's also the most frustrating just as the light goes,for this do I maybe need to move up another model or two in my camera choice.
..............

Can you be a bit more precise in regards of you problems?
Is it exposure, focus, noise ...........?

Aperture priority and wide open is a good start as light is usually a limiting factor in particular with lenses like the long Sigmas. Still you may have to up the ISO to get workable shutter speeds. This problem is the same with all bodies you can buy, just that some do better at high ISO than the D80.
Faster glass will save one or two f-stops but cost you a fortune.

Settings depend on situation, AF-C is pretty much a given thing with moving subjects other modes may work with static subjects. Just go with a single AF spot and be aware that low light and slow lenses affect AF speed and accuracy.

Metering is the other big question. Since subject matters I would use spot metering or at least center weighted metering, and still some exposure compensation may be required to hit the spot.

I use M-mode 90% of the time, aperture priority during the rest. Spot metering with the smallest diameter spot. Mostly AF-C with a single (center) AF spot. Aperture, shutterspeed and ISO depend on purpose and situation. Shutterspeed as fast as possible, ISO as low as possible (can be ISO 800 or 1600 in some situations).

Decent results at dawn of distant moving subjects? What is decent for you?
Here is pretty much all against you, no matter what gear you use. You will have to crank the ISO way up, AF will still be sluggish and slow, shutter speeds will be borderline at best. Consider using a a flash with a extender for some extra light.
No matter what body you use, even with a high ISO body like the D3s the bottle neck will be your current Sigma lens with its f5.8-f6.3.

Ulil

 

[The sniper]

cheers folks.
I am a complete idiot when it comes to technology,i get confused at the slightest things,i should probably just write things down and refer to them at a tater date but for some reason i don't (i will now lol)
My mate who is a professional photographer set my camera up when i first got it and it seemed to work well,only difference is,he does sports photography.
Since then he has moved abroad and i don't speak to him from month to month and bing pretty much a lone birder,i don't have too many people who i can call up for advice,most of my birding mates aren't really into photography,the only one who really is,uses cannon
I had hoped for my mate to guide me for the first few months,but he got a big contract abroad so i was left to fend for myself.
My main problem is working out what to have various settings on in different light
When it gets near dusk,i play around with the settings but as you have just said,i think i may just have to just realise that i am not going to get near perfect shots sometimes.
Usually i go with AF-C and the single spot under format.
Exposure compensation?? i usually leave this on 0,although in certain light i do change it slightly,up or down??
shutter mode,i use the 3 rectangles (bearded)
Iso,this is where i believe i may struggle,i usually have it around 400-640 although someone said maybe i should just leave it on ISO?? but I do also change this in certain lights,when i do this its more a fiddling around process to work out what seems better and by the time i have stopped fiddling around,i usually miss the subject.
Metering-i go with just the dot in the middle,i think this is right
One other thing,in the bottom left hand corner do i use Normal,basic or fine,i have it set on fine at the moment??? and Large image,this is what i have had it set on,is this ok??


I realise to some of you these are probably dumb questions,but i am going to Norfolk next week and could really do with making sure my settings are correct,i have tried reading user guides etc but they don't really seem to cover individual items such as birds,more so on a whole what people use.



Many thanks
rob

 

[Bob Philpott]

I would certainly not let the camera go above ISO 400. It will do it but the result will be a bit grainy. I use mine on 200 as a matter of course, only going above when forced to by the light. Don't let it think for itself. I use average centre weighted exposure and centre focus. I usually use AF-S for static objects, half press the focus and then adjust the scene as needed. For more active shots AF-C. I normally keep the focus area locked but unlock it if I think I need to.

I shoot RAW but if you want to stay with JPEG use as high a mode as you can - fine. Shutter I leave on multiple which I think is your bearded rectangles. Alright you sometimes look a fool taking 3 pictures of a wall but can usually make it fire once when you get used to it. I always fire off a series of shots at birds, animals.

There is an argument that says use EC of -1/3 to avoid excessive highlights and I do but that is a personal choice.

My final advice is dont keep changing. Stick with one thing and after a while if it is not working change one bit at a time. You chouldnt have to, light stays the same for quite a while.

 

[Hor Kee]

Just wondering if you did switch off your lens's image stabilization (called "OS") when you used it on a tripod? Sigma's iteration of OS is not tripod-detecting, meaning that it gets itself into a feedback loop and actually increases vibrations when tripod-mounted. This is a sure way to degrade images. Another thing is whether your lens has been calibrated to your camera's focus as misfocussed copies of your lens appear to be rather common. That siad, I have seen many photographers in my area use this lens to great effect, some even with bodies as ancient as a D40x. Keep trying and don't give up!

 

[RJM]

That the Sigi 150-500 NEEDS to be shot F8 @ 1/800sec ON A TRIPOD w/gimbal for CONSISTENT best results.

In order to keep that shutter speed ISO800 or more will probably be needed in most scenarios. So kinda stuck with the D80 high ISO IQ, which if you are not printing is not such a big deal. Just don't crop your pics very much.

 

[The sniper]

Thanks for all the feedback guys,with regards to the OS,yes I do switch it off when using a tripod.
Am off out in a minute,have taken some notes from here and will put them into practice.
Any more recommendations etc will be greatly received,as I say,I am a complete amateur and if you check my blog out (link in my signature) you will see some of the photos are not always that good,but I strive to get better as I really enjoy it.