Welcome to the SeeMeCNC Community

Here's the photos I promised...

[img]http://www.geneb.org/spitfire/bellcrank-1.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.geneb.org/spitfire/bellcrank-2.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.geneb.org/spitfire/bellcrank-3.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.geneb.org/spitfire/bellcrank-4.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.geneb.org/spitfire/bellcrank-5.jpg[/img]

g.

where is the print lines gene?

The what?

g.

geneb wrote:The what?

g.

Exactly.!!

No, seriously. I'm not sure what you're asking about. Are you referring to the layer lines? They are present, just not enough to stand out in the photos.

I used a new TTL flash that I bought. My Nikon D50 talks to the flash to adjust it - I've got a diffuser mounted to the flash. When I took those pics, I had the flash aimed perpendicular to the camera lens and I put my hand in front of it when I took the shots. The photos turn out a lot nicer than when using the built-in flash.

g.

geneb wrote:No, seriously. I'm not sure what you're asking about. Are you referring to the layer lines? They are present, just not enough to stand out in the photos.

I used a new TTL flash that I bought. My Nikon D50 talks to the flash to adjust it - I've got a diffuser mounted to the flash. When I took those pics, I had the flash aimed perpendicular to the camera lens and I put my hand in front of it when I took the shots. The photos turn out a lot nicer than when using the built-in flash.

g.

Oh ok, lol thoght you were joking with me. Yes, layer lines is what i was talking about. Images look almost like renderings of a cad file when viewed on my phone.

Ah, ok. Yeah, staring at a 4" screen won't exactly give you detail.

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But i can count your grey hairs in your avitar pic when i zoom in

Ptttht!

All joking aside, those are some awesome photos you took. Puts mine to shame. Maybe one day ill get a real camera. Then learn to use it..

The D50 only has a 6.1MP sensor in it - I'd love to get a newer camera with a 12.1MP or higher sensor. It kills me that my phone has a better CCD in it than my DSLR does. I got the D50 in 2006 and it's been a great workhorse.

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If you're shooting a D50, you can't go wrong picking up a used D90. A D800 on the other hand,,,,, drool.

Hrm. The used prices on the D90 are hovering around $230-$300. Can the D50 lenses be used on the D90 and still have the autofocus work?

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geneb wrote:The D50 only has a 6.1MP sensor in it - I'd love to get a newer camera with a 12.1MP or higher sensor. It kills me that my phone has a better CCD in it than my DSLR does. I got the D50 in 2006 and it's been a great workhorse.

g.

The number of pixels means next to NOTHING. your D50 has a 24mm (or so) wide image sensor [APS-C (23.7 x 15.5 mm)]. your phone has maybe a 4mm x 3mm sensor.
Your D50 will take far better pictures than any phone ever made, or likely to be made.

The quality of the photo depends on a lot but #1 is the lens size and quality, and #2 is the image sensor size and quality. Most any cell phone lens is smaller than a kernel of popcorn. The biggest are the size of a fingernail. My 105mm Nikon Macro lens weighs like 1.5 pounds, and most of that is glass.

I upgraded my D70 to a D600 last summer, the image sensor is a 35x24mm 24M pixel beast. I have also been adding to my lens collection, which will never really get dated like the camera body.

geneb wrote:Hrm. The used prices on the D90 are hovering around $230-$300. Can the D50 lenses be used on the D90 and still have the autofocus work?

g.

The D50 lens will work fine on a D90. The D50 must use lenses that have the built in focus motor. The D90, IIRC, can of course drive lenses with the built in motor - and I am pretty sure it has a motor in the body that can drive the older AF lenses that don't have a built in motor. The Higher end Nikons can all drive the old lenses. It is the low end nikons that cannot drive the old AF lenses. I think the AF-S lenses have the motor built in.

I would not hesitate to get a D90 used. The D90 is still a DX sized image sensor. I even see a D700 on our craigslist for $750, that has the full frame image sensor (FX in nikon-speak. DX is an APS sized sensor)
Lenses that have the DX on them get the pictures cropped on FX cameras. FX lenses are higher quality and cost.

If your getting a new Nikon, and your into photography, the D750 is the camera to get. Unless your on a budget.

geneb wrote:Hrm. The used prices on the D90 are hovering around $230-$300. Can the D50 lenses be used on the D90 and still have the autofocus work?

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Yes, it has a motor built into the body. I want to say it has a faster focus then my D70s even. It also has "Live View", where in some cases you can use the lcd for the viewfinder.

I wasn't aware of the sensor size difference - thanks for the info!

I'm on a pretty tight budget at the moment. I'm trying to keep the spending down as I've got to be able to buy materials for the prototype Bf-109K4 build I've got on the drawing board.
I'm looking at having to use .125" 5054 aluminum for the windscreen frame.

The only lens I have is the stock one that came with the D50 when I originally purchased it. I suppose I should get a zoom lens at some point, but I haven't had a need yet.

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geneb wrote:I wasn't aware of the sensor size difference - thanks for the info!

I'm on a pretty tight budget at the moment. I'm trying to keep the spending down as I've got to be able to buy materials for the prototype Bf-109K4 build I've got on the drawing board.
I'm looking at having to use .125" 5054 aluminum for the windscreen frame.

The only lens I have is the stock one that came with the D50 when I originally purchased it. I suppose I should get a zoom lens at some point, but I haven't had a need yet.

g.

For the style of shots I see you doing your D50 still has a ton of life left in it. A good zoom lens would breath new life into it for you as would a two flash setup for taking your shots with less direct lighting. Even just putting a simple flash diffuser on your flash like this: will go a long way to softening up your shadows and making for a much nicer looking photo. If you have the space and a light (white is best) colored ceiling you can bounce the flash off the ceiling with the flash diffuser on the flash and this will give you rather good results most of the time. If you were able to do the same with two flashes, the pics would look top notch. You can also use a white card (anything large and white) off to the side to bounce fill light back into the shot and fill in dark spots.

The newer cameras are great and they have a much nicer image at a given ISO (ISO 800 on the newer camera will look as good as ISO say,400 on the older camera as each Gen shrinks the pixels and the color engines get better also). But one who has worked as a full time professional sports photographer for over 20 years, I think your D50 has lots of life left in it for the style work you are doing. It seems like you do mostly "product" type work, small objects on a table top type surface. If you would like to shoot me a PM I can give you some easy tips that will help your images look top notch if you desire. I did product work during the daylight hours at the Houston Chronicle and shoot sports nights and weekends there for over 18 years as a staff shooter. What the guys are saying is all right on the money and those are good cameras and suggestions from both of them. I just also know how it is to be on a budget with camera gear from my early days and always try to help folks if I can to get better results with their given gear. One word of caution though, if there is anyplace to spend the few extra dollars if you can... It is the lens that shapes and focuses all those photons!

I've actually got a new TTL flash with a diffuser on it. That's what I used for the photos above. I'd aim it straight up and put my hand in front of it when I took the shot.

MAAANY years ago I had a Nikon FM200 that was awesome. Got stolen.

What zoom lens would you recommend for the D50? Do they still sell "doubler" lenses?

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I pretty much keep my Nikon 18-55 on the D90.