I have a Samsumg Galaxy Note 9 phone and an iPad Air (3rd Gen). I use both with Snapbridge. I also have 2 cameras: D5600 and Z6II.

I have to go into the setup menu,

get to the Bluetooth option (under "Connect to smart device" on the Z6II, stand-alone on the D5600)

select the correct device. 

Then it allows me to use that device to download my photos. 

Hope this helps - a little!

~M.D.

(Sorry, looks like the pics are in reverse order. They show you n the correct order in the list..)

Nikon just had their 85mm 1.8 on sale for $100 off, which ended just as I began looking.

”Timing is everything.”

Hello all,

Looking for a new lens for my Z6II. Want a portrait lens, 85mm or 105mm, but not sure I want to shell out $800-$1000 at this time. Saw a Viltrox 85mm 1.8 Autofocus lens, and wondering if anyone has experience, good or bad, with this brand or this lens. (But I AM really considering new Nikkor, even the 2.8 zooms.)

Thanks for any feedback you can give.

~M.D.

Hey guys,

I was able to get the problem solved. In order to resolve the driver error for my flash, I had to temporarily turn off driver signing on the computer. Then, the computer would allow the driver on the flash to be recognized, and I was able to update the firmware. Now, the flash will fire in i-TTL mode.

I cannot get my Godox V860II (N) to fire in TTL mode on my Z6II. I did find out that there is a firmware update for the flash (mine is currently v 1.8) but I haven’t been able to get it installed. The flash says there is a driver error on the computer.

Anyone else have any issues like this, and any success solving them?

Thanks for any assistance or insight.

M.D.

The main problem I have with it is that I think it needs some foreground interest... could be a person or object."

 

"I probably would have shot at a bit lower angle and under exposed the sky a bit. Then I would have lightened the foreground and saturated the sky colors in post."

 

--Ron

 

 

Thanks. I will keep that in mind. I appreciate your input!

 

~M.D.

 

 

I’ve used my D5600 a few times before with Snapbridge, but recently I can’t get it to focus on my selected focus point. It will focus on the initial point where the focus is set when I activate the Snapbridge app, but if I tap the screen to select a different point, the focus square stays green and the original point stays in focus. If I move the camera to recompose the shot, the camera will not reacquire focus. I have tried in AF-A, AF-S, and AF-C modes, and nothing seems to affect the outcome. Am I missing something about the operation of Snapbridge?  I have also reset the shooting menu and the custom menu, turned the camera on/off, removed and replaced the battery, and changed lenses (4 different ones), all to no avail. What am I doing wrong?

I caught these colors in the sky at sunrise. No color adjustments made, just lightened exposure a bit to lighten foreground.

CC welcomed!

Nikon Z6II

24mm, 1/15s, f/5.6, ISO 100

I haven't done any editing and I want to start editing the images I've created. I have Photoshop elements 2019 on my laptop, but it won't let me edit my RAW files or update the Camera Raw plug-in. I believe it has come to the end of its support by Adobe, because their site lists Elements 2020 and 2021 as supported.

Question is, do I get Photoshop Elements 2021 or get a subscription version? Not shooting much right now, but I want to do some portrait shoots this year, just to practice the craft and find my strengths and weaknesses. I take a few landscape or scenery shots now and again (around the train station where I work, the local park, etc.) but I really want this to be the year I get out there more, even doing a little street photography, portraiture, stuff like that. I have a lot of previous shots that I can work on to edit, but I intend to do a lot more RAW captures from this point on.

Any thoughts/opinions?  Thanks in advance for the help.

~M.D.

I was out walking the park yesterday when a North American Kestrel landed not far from me. Got a few shots (totally unprepared) before i think the clicking of the shutter spooked him. 
D5600, 40mm lens, f-2.8, ISO 100, 1/2000s.

Thanks, krag.

I use a D5600. Was using my 18-55mm kit lens. Set at 27mm, f22, 10s exposure. Hands aren’t real steady, IMO, but I will experiment with the settings you suggested.

Thanks for the input. I actually played with it a little and cropped the lower right corner from it. Didn’t post the cropped version. Considered straightening it, as you did, but just posted the originals to get honest opinions. 
For the moon shot, I pulled the whole thing in closer, trying to put the moon on the intersection of the upper and left third lines. 
I was an interesting night. Took my wife with me, found a (relatively) dark road, and waited for the moon to peek through the clouds. The little bit of passing traffic made interesting effects, IMO. My wife was actually the one who suggested adding the sign and power pole. I was fiddling with the tripod and ball-head and didn’t even notice that it was so askew, or that the top of my truck cab was in the shot. Just gotta get out there a lot more.

Please!

Taken during the October 31 Blue Moon. 
Speed limit sign is lit by passing traffic (brake lights) and a signal light in the (near) distance. 
Opinions appreciated. Having trouble with my “compositional sense.”

~M.D.

A little awkward for me. Need to put a little more time in with it 

Thanks for the info!

Ok, I see you're on the lighter side of it. The Manfrotto Befree 3-way
is very capable to carry that load but my very personal opinion is that
it may be way too impractical with its long handles and the "fluid drag
system" may slow down your reaction time in critical moments.

Did you investigate ball heads?

If you don't mind me saying, Doc, this can be answered
honestly if the gear it will take is known.

Please describe your gear.

At this time i am shooting with a D5600 with a AF-P 70-300mm 4.5-5.6 vr lens. Also have the 18-55mm VR kit lens, AF-S 40mm f/2.8, and a AF-S 35mm 1.8

Yes and no.

IF means that the lens shows no sign of change during focusing:
• stays the same in size

• the front element will not rotate — that alone permits the use of
  tulip shaped lens shades.

IF may also include in some high end cases — a zoom function as
in the the older 200~400 ƒ4 and its newer version, the 180~400 ƒ4;
and with the 24~70 ƒ2.8 but may not the case for all zoom lenses.

I always go for the IF lenses when available.
 

Thanks. I had a misconception that the barrel didn’t lengthen when the lens was zoomed either. Then I thought about it and decided I needed clarification.

Thanks again for the help.

Stupid question, guys. I know that IF lenses do not change length during focusing, but I assume they DO change length during the zoom process, as the focal length changes, right?

DocMD, sorry about hijacking your thread.

Your photo is nice, but I would have used a longer lens to get a greater magnification for a shorter DoF.
I tend to use an 85/1.8 wide open or slightly closed down, maybe f/2.3 or so to bring it into its sharpest aperture range for this type of shots. Another fantastic lens for botanicals is the 105/2 DC, but it is a very specialized tool that takes lots of practice to master.

Thanks for the input. I want to try this again with some adjustments, try to sharpen the focus manually. I’ll add those to the post and see how I do.

@Nikon Shooter

Thanks! 1.8 35mm prime lens.