D200 Break in!!!!

[woundedmallard]

Hey Everybirdy,

Got my D200 yesterday!! :biggrin: :biggrin: Had a beautiful sunny day today on which to break it in. Definitely going to take some getting used to after 2 solid years with a D70 strapped to my shoulder. Tracking BIF shots is going to take a little time. But ....WOW :biggrin: this is a @#$% nice camera!!!!
After getting home and opening them up, one thing that suprised me was the file size. Shooting RAW they're 15MB!!?? Wasn't expecting them that large for some reason. Be sure to be shopping for one of those storage drives soon! Will also be picking some brains about optimal settings once I get a decent hang of it. Frank? You got a hotline #? lol :wink:
Off the bat, one quick question that might be better suited on the tech discussion forum but I figure I'd ask. sRGB or Adobe RGB? I do print, but don't have a tremendous understanding of color space science yet, but would like to save myself the headache in future, when I become endowed with such knowledge.
Here's a few from the car window at Viera Wetlands today just to break it in.
Solitary Sandpiper

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Least Bittern
View attachment 91569

Purple Gallinule
View attachment 91570

And the White Ibis were from my neighbor's front yard while walking with my son for a tricycle ride
View attachment 91571

 

[hangin tree]

Great set Tom

Your going to have a lot of fun with the new toy, Congrats

 

[woundedmallard]

Thanks Gary! Yeah, I'm already looking forward to tomorrow and a run through Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge!

 

[Flew]

Excellent first outing Thomas. One thing that you need to do is set the cam to shoot in compressed RAW. This will reduce your file sizes to 8-10MB, and I don't think that there is any noticable difference in the IQ.

I would also highly recommend shooting in AdobeRGB (Mode II). It gives a much wider gamut, and you can always convert to sRGB for web posting.

You are going to be amazed by this cam. :smile:

 

[Clix Pix]

You did great on your first outing with the new camera! When I first got mine, once I got over the initial intimidation, I was tickled with the various adjustments being available right on the body at the press of a button, no more hunting through menus! That was one big difference I noticed immediately. And, yeah, the other was the file sizes. Whoa!! At that time I was still shooting in .jpg only, but even so I realized that I would need to add some external backup to my machine..... Once I started shooting RAW that became even more necessary.

I shoot in Adobe RGB Mode (II) and then when post-processing in Aperture, I have a preset which converts my images to jpg and sRGB on their way to Smugmug or any other online gallery. Actually, I think Smugmug automatically converts all incoming images to sRGB anyway.... Don't know about pBase or other online gallery programs.

 

[woundedmallard]

Thanks Frank!! The D200 guide suggested Adobe RGB, but I feel better knowing it's the general opinion, also that RAW compression. You can fill that buffer really fast chasing those BIF's!!
This camera should keep me happy with my 80-400VR for a while at least, before "lens lust " kicks in at some point. My wife is patiently waiting for that moment!! :biggrin:

 

[Flew]

Thanks Frank!! The D200 guide suggested Adobe RGB, but I feel better knowing it's the general opinion, also that RAW compression. You can fill that buffer really fast chasing those BIF's!!
This camera should keep me happy with my 80-400VR for a while at least, before "lens lust " kicks in at some point. My wife is patiently waiting for that moment!! :biggrin:

Thomas,

Repeat the following:

I do not want a 300 f4 AF-S, I do not want a 300 f4 AF-S, I do not want a 300 f4 AF-S. :biggrin:

 

[Clix Pix]

This camera should keep me happy with my 80-400VR for a while at least, before "lens lust " kicks in at some point. My wife is patiently waiting for that moment!! :biggrin:

Ehhhhh...... The 80-400mm VR is a wonderful lens, and it definitely is perkier on the D200 than on the D70(s), but, well....yeah, especially if you are into BIF shots, one of these days you're going to want to venture into some new (and undoubtedly expensive) territory when it comes to lenses. I swear, I was perfectly happy with the few lenses I had with my D70, and then I got the D200 and next thing you know it was demanding that I buy it this lens and that lens.... I'd bring home a new lens, slip it on the camera and for a while all was well, but then the nagging would start up again: "buy me THIS lens! Buy me THAT lens!" Oy, vey!! What's a photographer to do? :biggrin:

 

[snownow]

Great start! keep them comming.

 

[snownow]

Thomas,

Repeat the following:

I do not want a 300 f4 AF-S, I do not want a 300 f4 AF-S, I do not want a 300 f4 AF-S. :biggrin:

ok I do not want a 300 f4 AF-S, I do not want a 300 f4 AF-S, I do not want a 300 f4 AF-S, i do not want a 300 f4 af-s and a 1.4 tc, i do not want a 300 f4 af-s and a 1.4 tc, i do want a 300 f4 af-s and a 1.4 tc hmmm it did not seem to work. :smile:

 

[Flew]

ok I do not want a 300 f4 AF-S, I do not want a 300 f4 AF-S, I do not want a 300 f4 AF-S, i do not want a 300 f4 af-s and a 1.4 tc, i do not want a 300 f4 af-s and a 1.4 tc, i do want a 300 f4 af-s and a 1.4 tc hmmm it did not seem to work. :smile:

Another GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) victim. Welcome to our (fiscal) nightmare. :biggrin:

 

[Hokum]

Nice shots Thomas, welcome to wonderful world of D200. Its a great camera.

 

[Gale]

Nice shots tom
That D200 sure makes that 80-400 perform a ton better doesn't it:>)))
little machine gun
I also use argb and compressed raw

 

[woundedmallard]

ok I do not want a 300 f4 AF-S, I do not want a 300 f4 AF-S, I do not want a 300 f4 AF-S, i do not want a 300 f4 af-s and a 1.4 tc, i do not want a 300 f4 af-s and a 1.4 tc, i do want a 300 f4 af-s and a 1.4 tc hmmm it did not seem to work. :smile:

I tried this mantra:
If I get a 300 f4 af-s my wife will leave me , if I get a 300 f4 af-s my wife will leave me :Confused: , if I get a 300 f4 af-s my wife will leave me? Hmmmm, then I can shoot guilt free? everyday? :biggrin:

...........just kidding honey!! :Love:

 

[woundedmallard]

Thanks everyone for the positive feedback!

 

[Baxter]

Congrats Tom. Really like that last shot especially. Great info on this thread as well.

 

[Sharon]

What a great start! I really like that first one. Can't wait to see more.

 

[Lou Buscher]

Tom, Frank has it right for the combo he suggests shooting. I can relate to the file size you mention as the Fuji S1 and S2 had 17.5 MB files out of the camera. UGG Poor computer dark room. I tried a D200 when they first came out and when I downloaded the files I was shocked at the size. I have since spoke to the person than loaned it to me to try and he has done just what Frank is saying and there is no noticable difference in the photo and the computer moves a lot faster.
Lou

 

[woundedmallard]

Thanks Hunter. Thanks Lou. Got a few to put up in a little while. I can even hear the D200 shutter clicks in my dreams already!! :biggrin: