Nikon First try with V1

Maczero

Regular
Location
Fife, Scotland
Name
Andrew
Having been humming and hawing about whether or not to get a V1 to see how it compared with a a m43 camera so far as focusing was concerned, I finally bit the bullet at the end of last week.

Never having used a Nikon before there is a fair bit that I need to get used to. However, one thing is certain - it certainly focuses quickly. I don't see any major disadvantage with the smaller sensor either - Nikon seemed to have sweated its performance to the max.

I have been trying for ages to crack birds in flight with m43. Even on my first attempt with the V1 I had more half decent attempts than I did with the m43. The only problem is that with the lens being c300m equivalent, it is a little short. It would be nice if there was a 600mm equivalent. I know that the book answer is to use the adaptor and proper Nikon glass. If I could afford the latter I could probably afford the swanky DSLR to drive it.

Here are a few from this morning (heavily cropped):

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AMM_130730_DSC_0239_BirnieLoch_Flickr by Amaczero, on Flickr

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AMM_130730_DSC_0248_BirnieLoch_Flickr by Amaczero, on Flickr

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AMM_130730_DSC_0251_BirnieLoch_Flickr by Amaczero, on Flickr

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AMM_130730_DSC_0278_BirnieLoch_Flickr by Amaczero, on Flickr

And one from the garden yesterday - I think it was a young and rather naive Siskin (uncropped):

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AMM _20130729_DSC_0144_BackGardenBirds_Flickr by Amaczero, on Flickr

Anyway, I am pretty impressed so far.

Andrew
 
Not exactly a cheap solution, but the FT-1 and the 55-200 will get you a very light 540mm equivalent with VR (Image Stabilization). Unfortunately, at retail prices, it's about USD500 before shipping.
 
Not exactly a cheap solution, but the FT-1 and the 55-200 will get you a very light 540mm equivalent with VR (Image Stabilization). Unfortunately, at retail prices, it's about USD500 before shipping.

How is the AF with that vs the native lenses?
 
How is the AF with that vs the native lenses?

It is a bit of a workaround. The biggest limitation is you're stuck with center AF sensor only - it's a tough thing given native lenses can be driven by any of the 73 Phase Detect points on the sensor. The good news is that Nikon did tweak the FT-1 adaptor's Continuous Focus performance in the latest firmware. What the CX really needs is a very long lens 400mm or higher, a very wide fast prime and a true macro lens (not the close up diopter that was announced). That would plug most of the gaps in the optics lineup.
 
Yep, just with the 30-110. A nice little lens complete with lens hood (a nice change after Olympus!). The only thing I would like is a similar lens that would stretch to nearer 600 mm equiv.

I am pretty impressed with the files as well. The Siskin was taken at ISO 800 and boosted about a stop in C1. The file held up pretty well.

Andrew
 
I am struggling to master the focus mode, focus area, continuous shooting, etc etc features of the V1. Could you tell me what you used for some of these wonderful results?
 
Hi.

I am not sure that I have got the focus settings right yet, but what I used was single point, AF-C for the Siskin. I used AF auto area AF-C for the BIF. I tried tracking, but couldn't coordinate myself sufficiently. If I can get it to work that would appear to be the one to try.

There is still a lot of room for improvement in BIF, but it is startlingly easier than with an OM-D, although when it works that can be spectacular.
 
Hi.

I am not sure that I have got the focus settings right yet, but what I used was single point, AF-C for the Siskin. I used AF auto area AF-C for the BIF. I tried tracking, but couldn't coordinate myself sufficiently. If I can get it to work that would appear to be the one to try.

There is still a lot of room for improvement in BIF, but it is startlingly easier than with an OM-D, although when it works that can be spectacular.

For the BIF shots, did the AF Auto-area manage to select the bird, or where there a lot of green rectangles lit up? I haven't got any birds yet, but I tried to capture some dogs running free on our beach, and (maybe because they were fairly far away) a lot of rectangles lit up, but the dogs were pretty well focused. I might try the AF single area option, but then I'd need to get a bird or dog right in that one zone.
 
It certainly lit up where the bird was - of course it doesn't track. The thing to watch out for with this setting is if you have a cluttered background then it may lock onto that. However, using a single point means you need to be spot on with your physical tracking - problem where I am practising since the birds seem to think that they are in a WW2 dogfight.

It still haven't cracked the tracking mode coordination problem to see if that might work better.
 
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