Camera setup
 

Hi,
I just want to know what everyone is using for gear. I just got a Nikon D3 and 4 SB900 remote flashes for stills (was using a D200) and a Sony P.O.S. for movies. :thumbsup

Very nice package! Have fun!

Why would you use a setup like that?

Seriously....What exactly do you intend to shoot?

I also shoot Cars for different car shows and a few magazines. It doesnt pay much but it is a steady income :)

And you're using 4 SB900's for that?

Not that it can;t be done but you would be WAY better off using strobes. :2 cents:

Ya I know...I did have some SB 800 and 2 Vu pro V600 before and they worked OK. I travel very light I only have a two seater car with next to no trunk space. I can carry a complete set up in two suit cases (it is not the greatest setup but I can make it work). All the flashes are remote fired to set up time and shooting on the fly is quick and easy.

First, you have the top of the line camera which is quite more than you need to shoot anything you've described. You bought a Ferrari to drive to the store. You would have been better off getting a D300 or two and top quality glass. Your lenses will contribute much more to quality images than the camera.

SB900s are good, if you know how to use them and have appropriate light modification for them. If you insist on using speedlights, the master of using the Nikon system on location is Dave Black. Go look at:
www.daveblackphotography.com/workshop

Also check out http://strobist.blogspot.com

Your problems with the speedlights will be recycle time and power (batteries die). Bigger than those, unless you modify them right, you'll get hard shadows that are unappealing and keep your models from looking their best.

Personally I'd take the SB900s back and go hit AlienBees.com for the best strobes for the money, along with soft boxes. If you need portable power, they have a good battery pack system as well.

Good luck.

Ok, maybe I'm the only one who doesn't know... but what is a Sony P.O.S.??

I'd guess any Sony camcorder prior to miniDV or the ones that record to DVD (too dang much compression for any quality).

Maybe it has a recorder separate from the camera and a big long cable to run between the two. My first Sony was like that. Of course it had 3 tubes, a heck of a fine zoom lens and the deck used 3/4" tape.

P.O.S Used to mean Piece of Shit. But in this case I dont think so.

I was assuming people knew what P.O.S. stood for.

P.O.S is Piece of Shit it records to DVD, I plan on getting a HD one soon. I currently work for Nikon and thats I have a D3 instead of a D300. My D3 set me back only $2300 and it is a full frame sensor and I have 3 FX lens to match. It might be a small over kill for the pictures I am currently taking but I am not limited by my equiment (just skill..LOL).

Ok, I now envy your position in being able to get that D3 at that price!

Have you considered trying out a D90 for HD? Bruce Dorn has created a device to help hold a 5D steady... I don't see why it wouldn't work for the D90.

You have to manually focus the camera. I have tried it but you only get 10-20 min depending on the room temp before it needs to cool down (1-2 seconds). I have shot movies with the D90 but I lack some skill with focusing.

You're telling me the camera will overheat when shooting video? What does it do when this happens? Error message? Does it suck battery life as well?

Not only that, there apparently seems to be some major problems with motion artifacts due to the rolling shutter. Hopefully all these things will be improved upon in future models.

I assume the Canon 5DMKII does not have these problems...?

It just shuts down for a few minutes. Oh and it does kill the battery. It is a Camera first, the movie mode is just a toy.

The one coming out this september should have all the bugs worked out of it....we hope.

Is that going to be the successor to the D300, or D90 line?

I can't say...its the Nikon way.:winkwink:

keep on studying dude!!!!

Got any skinny on what's up with Fuji? Or just wanna spread rumors? I love my S5s!

I heard the Fuji S5s camera is being discontinued. That could be a good thing. It is a solid camera and a backup should be cheap to pick up :)

Yeah, my supplier has been told off the record that they're gone in summer/fall and that there will not be a replacement. Another buddy is an editor for PPMag and she sent Fuji a query that Fuji sent some very cryptic "S5 still in production... committed..." type of response. They wouldn't confirm if they had anything in the pipe beyond that. It's two years old and still nothing can touch it in terms of dynamic range.

I do agree with you that it is a great camera. I am not a fan of creative lighting so I like the high ISO Nikons have. Being able to crank your ISO over 800 without any noise allows me to shoot almost anything without a flash.

Have you seen this?

http://http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=tnwf2RShNV0

Oh that's funny! "There, there. I hear he shoots only JPG."